The present invention relates generally to the lighting field, and, more particularly, to creating efficient and decorative distribution of illumination and flexible projection of linear light sources.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,356,654 discloses a linear light source system which has refraction and reflection in one arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,643 discloses an arrangement using a tubular light source in which a lens system focuses the light onto a photo-conductive cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,178 discloses a linear light source having a reflector formed of strip-like mirror surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,633 discloses a linear light source having a housing bounded by two curved surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,066 discloses a linear lighting arrangement in which a continuous row of sectional lighting assemblies are used.
In my U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,570, issued Oct. 26, 1999, entitled Decorative Prismatic Lens Jacket For A Lineal Source, there is disclosed a jacket for a lineal light source which provides virtual images of the source altered in shape or dispersion and direction.
In my co-pending application Ser. No. 08/803,797 filed Feb. 24, 1997, there is disclosed a tubular light source with a generally refractive-reflective lighting jacket surrounding it in which the jacket has flutes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide broad distribution and highly direct indoor and outdoor illumination.
It is another object of the present invention to provide lighting of the type described which is efficient and decorative.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide lighting which directly projects and distributes light broadly onto adjacent surfaces.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide lighting using shaped light projection.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide such lighting using non-conventional means.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a decorative means of distributing light from linear sources such as fluorescent without diminishing efficiency.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a system for varying the direction and spread of light from linear light sources.
At least in part the benefits of the present invention are provided by greater efficiency by using no reflectors, or fewer reflectors than the prior art.
These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished in the following manners, among others.
A light assembly including a linear light source has a longitudinal axis and a refractor and/or a reflector. A main refractor extends along the length of the light source and parallel thereto. The main refractor has a rear portion coated with a reflecting material in a desired pattern extending along the length of the main refractor.
There may be a unified reflector partially surrounding the front of the light source and extending along the length of the light source. The reflector has openings therein at selected locations, one set of such openings providing light directly from the light source to the front of the assembly. The reflector has reflecting surfaces extending from the sides thereof and another set of such openings being located between the light source and the reflecting surfaces such that light from the light source is reflected from the reflecting surfaces toward the front of the assembly.
There may be a reflector assembly surrounding the length of the light source and including a plurality of reflector segments at least some of which are movable about the light source longitudinal axis. There is one group of reflector segments which are spaced apart from each other on a side of the light source and being connected together for movement together about the longitudinal axis. There is another group of reflector segments which are spaced apart from each other on a side of the light source being connected together for movement together about the longitudinal axis whereby the reflector segments are interdigitated. The groups of reflector segments are movable continuously into different angular positions about the axis whereby the groups may be moved to one position where they are on opposite sides of the light source, another position where they are all aligned on the same side of the light source, and any position therebetween.
There may be a plurality of reflecting transmission guides partially surrounding the linear light source and arranged radially with respect thereto and each having an entry face at least partially surrounding the light source, and each having a reflective surface, and each having an exit surface for the light to leave, whereby rays from the light source enter the entry surface pass though its transparent composition to its reflecting surface and are reflected through exit surface as rays. There is a linear refractive element partially surrounding the light source that acts as a connector for supporting the guides and for refracting light which is not collected by the guides for redirecting such rays.
There may be a reflector adjacent the light source and extending parallel thereto along the length thereof and the reflector is rotatable about the axis through 360 degrees.
There may be four linear light sources and four first reflectors, each partially surrounding a respective light source and extending for the length thereof and each rotatable for 360 degrees about its light source. There is a second reflector on one side of the four light sources and sufficiently large as to be capable of receiving rays reflected from the first reflectors when the first reflectors are in an angular position to reflect light toward the one side.